(Is it any surprise that The Beatles have TEN of The Top 20 Hits?!?!?)
But you'll find some other biggies here as well ... as the countdown continues ...
But first ... a correction ...
Forgotten Hits subscribers already know that we had a mix-up on one of the tracks that SHOULD have made our Top 100 Countdown. (Non-subscribers will see this whole dialog next week when we recap all of the comments that we received.)
So FIRST ... before we hit The Top 20 ... coming in at #37 1/2 is Herman's Hermits and their version of the Sam Cooke classic "Wonderful World"!!!
(Not a subscriber? Send us an email ... forgottenhits@aol.com ... and ask us to add your name to the list.) Mostly we just send out friendly reminders about new postings to the site ... however THIS week, subscribers got a daily update on comments from our readers. (Do it NOW while it's fresh in your head.) Just send an email to forgottenhits@aol.com and put "subscribe" or "put me on the list" in the subject line ... and we'll take care of the rest!
And now, on with the countdown ...
#20 - SHE'S NOT THERE - The Zombies (1964)
#19 - TICKET TO RIDE - The Beatles (1965)
From the film "Eight Arms To Hold You" ... according to the original record label anyway!
#18 - A WORLD WITHOUT LOVE - Peter and Gordon (1964)
A beautiful ballad given away by the songwriting team of Lennon and McCartney. I'd have to rank this one and Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas' hit "Bad To Me" as two INCREDIBLE hits sacrificed to help other artists in Brian Epstein's stable.
#17 - I'M HENRY THE VIII, I AM - Herman's Hermits (1965)
Second verse, same as the first!
#16 - I'M TELLING YOU NOW - Freddie and the Dreamers (1965)
Can you listen to this song without fighting the urge to jump out of your seat and start your morning exercise routine ... heavy on the jumping jacks?!?!?
#15 - TWIST AND SHOUT - The Beatles (1964)
Their biggest Beatles hit not written by Lennon-McCartney ... and still a radio staple today ... an all-time favorite ... and, simply put, just a GREAT recording.
#14 - LOVE ME DO - The Beatles (1964)
Their British break-through hit stalled at #17 back home ... but topped the charts here in America a couple of years later when we finally caught on!
#13 - GET OFF MY CLOUD - The Rolling Stones (1965)
#12 - THE HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN - The Animals (1964)
Introducing many of us teenagers at the time to British Blues for the very first time ... and we LOVED it!
#11 - A HARD DAY'S NIGHT - The Beatles (1964)
Theme song to their first film
#10 - I FEEL FINE - The Beatles (1964)
Talk about your chart domination! Even 20/20 hindsight places The Beatles with SIX of the The Ten All-Time Biggest British Invasion Hits. Amazing!
#9 - HELP! - The Beatles (1965)
Title song from their second film ... the color one (formerly known as "Eight Arms To Hold You", I guess!!!)
#8 - YESTERDAY - The Beatles (1965)
A classic that finally endeared The Beatles to our parents, too. Redemption at last. Still one of the most recorded songs in history.
#7 - DO WAH DIDDY DIDDY - Manfred Mann (1964)
And who'd expect THESE guys to rank so high on the list?!?!? But this one was a MONSTER ... and it STILL sounds every bit as fresh today. Every generation since has discovered and fallen in love with it.
#6 - MRS. BROWN YOU'VE GOT A LOVELY DAUGHTER - Herman's Hermits (1965)
Peter Noone is still charming his audiences around the globe. People tend to underestimate the impact of Herman's Hermits ... but there was no greater British success next to The Beatles. Sure, people today talk about The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who and even The Dave Clark Five ... but it was Herman's Hermits who were really second in line to the British Royalty Crown on the US charts. Most of these other acts "grew" into favor after the initial wave of The British Invasion had passed. But The Hermits were there from the start.
#5 - CAN'T BUY ME LOVE - The Beatles (1964)
When "Can't Buy Me Love" hit #1, The Beatles had the Top Five singles in the United States ... an unheard of feat never duplicated before or since. It was their first "real time" #1 Hit here in the States, released simultaneously around the world to unparalleled success. With advance orders of over one million copies, it broke every record ever made.
#4 - DOWNTOWN - Petula Clark (1965)
Yes, mostly it was the British Invasion Groups that dominated the charts in 1964 and 1965 ... but Petula Clark landed a MONSTER hit with this Tony Hatch tune. And, incredibly, Petula had just turned 33 years old when her record landed at #1 on our US Chart! (We didn't care ... she was British and she was hot!)
#3 - SHE LOVES YOU - The Beatles (1964)
The Beatles knocked themselves out of the #1 spot with this one, dethroning their American break-through hit "I Want To Hold Your Hand." John Lennon once said "She Loves You" was their biggest hit ever in England ... and I always felt it should have been their biggest here, too. A more infectious chorus has never been written. (And seriously ... would it have worked if they sang "She Loves You, yes, yes, yes?!?!? I don't think so!!!)
#2 - SATISFACTION - The Rolling Stones (1965)
Fifty years (and counting) later, The Stones are touring again. Proclaimed "The World's Greatest Rock And Roll Band", The Rolling Stones managed to change and evolve with the times ... yet always remained true to themselves in the process. As Mick Jagger so proudly and boldly proclaimed a decade later, "It's Only Rock And Roll ... But I Like It!"
#1 - I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND - The Beatles (1964)
And there you have it ... The Top 100 Biggest Hits of The British Invasion, 1964 - 1965. More countdowns to come as we continue to salute the decade ... so stay tuned!!! (kk)
#1 for seven straight weeks, this is the record that started it all. The Beatles came to America once their record reached #1 ... and the world of music has never been the same since.
And there you have it ... The Top 100 Biggest Hits of The British Invasion, 1964 - 1965. More countdowns to come as we continue to salute the decade ... so stay tuned!!! (kk)
